Vending-machine



(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I J. H. CRAVBNS 8v W. L. MGGOODWIN.

- VBNDING MACHINE.

No. 564,871. Patented July 2.8, 1896.

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VENDING MACHINE.

No. 564,871'. v Patented July 28,1896.

UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE".

JAMES H. CRAVENS AND VILLIAM L. MCGOODVIN, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,871, dated July 28, 1896.

Application filed December 9, 1895. Serial No. 571,480. (No model.)

To all whom, it mayV concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES H. CRAvENs and WILLIAM L. McGooDwIN, of Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Our invention relates to vending-machines, and more particularly to that class of vending-machines wherein after a coin has been inserted a hand manipulation follows, in order to operate the machine and cause the discharge of the article sought.

The principal objects of this invention are to produce a machine of this character which is positive and reliable in action, which can be operated only by a coin of the predetermined diameter, and which combines in a high degree simplicity, durability, and inexpensiveness of manufacture.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, we will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a horizontal section taken on the line y y of Fig. 2, the inlet or guide chute for the coin, however, being shown in elevation, though it projects above the section-line indicated. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section taken on the line of Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section taken below the plane of the section illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a view which illustrates, on an enlarged scale, the coin-chute and a coin immediately afterit is discharged from the chute. Fig. 5 represents a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the coin-chute and the push-bar in their relative positions. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the inner end of the push-bar. Fig. 7 illustrates a part of a modified form ofconstruction of our improved vending-machine. Fig. Sis a cross-section of the chute, taken just below the slot or opening therein and shows clearly the lateral tilt or inclination of the chute,

and also shows the position which a coin too small to operate the machine will ass umej ust previous to its fall through said slot or open- Ing` v Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts. Y

In' the said drawings, l designates a box or casin g, which is preferably of rectangular formation and may be of Wood or any other suitable or preferred material. 2 designates an opening in the front of the same, which is indicated by dotted lines, and said opening communicates with a chamber 3, formed by erectingvertically with in the box or casing the back and side walls 4, which extend upward from the bottom of the box to the plane of the upper margin of said opening 2. Thus it will be seen that we 'have provided a small opening in the front of the box which communicates at its upper end with the interior of the casing, and from which the vended article maybe easily extracted by the purchaser, as will hereinafter more fully appear. Arranged vertically and centrally within the casing, and journaled at its lower end in the bearing 6 and at its upper end in the bearing 6, which may be secured to the top or cover of the box or to a cross-bar 6b, secured'internally of the boX, is the rotatable shaft 5, and concentrically surrounding the same is a circular plate or ring 7, which rests and is riveted or otherwise suitably secured upon the brackets S, projecting from three of the walls of the casing. Adjacent to the fourth wall it is preferably supported upon the upper end of the walls 4, forming Vthe chamber 3, and above said opening it is provided with an opening 9, which may be formed by removing a section of the plate, as shown. It is essential, when this plate is riveted in position, that the upper surface of the rivet-heads shall be perfectly smooth and shall not project Ain the slightest degree above the plane of the plate,

-because the articles to be delivered successively by the machine rest and slide upon said plate.

10 designates a wheel, preferably of cast metal and of skeleton formation, so as to make it as light as possible. Said wheel, about midway its spokes, is formed with an IOO integral circular band or ring 11, which is arranged concentrically to its axis and is provided with a large number of radial slots or elongated openings'12, arranged at equal distances apart. Secured rigidly to and depending vertically from the rim of the wheel is a circular wall 13, and arranged concentrically around said wall, at a suitable distance, is a second circular wall 14, which is connected rigidly to the inner wall 13 by means of radial partitions 15. Said partitions are at equal distances apart and equal in number to the slots or elongated openings 12.

16 designates a coin-chute,which is inclined, as shown in the drawings, and its lower end terminates just above one of theV radial slots or openings 12 of the wheel. It is provided with the upwardly projecting marginal flanges 17, which are distanced to receive snugly between them a coin of a predetermined diameter. In its upper portion and for about half its length it is provided with a longitudinal slot 18, which is of such width that any coin of smaller diameter than that determined upon which may be inserted into the machine will, instead of sliding down the chute, fall through said opening, so as to prevent the machine being operated by any but a coin of a certain value. At its upper end the chute communicates with an inclined opening 19 in the top of the casing, which opening corresponds in width to the chute and is sufficiently narrow to prevent the entrance of an appreciably thicker coin. The lower end or bottom of the chute terminates short of its flanges 17, which at such points are bent outwardly and then continued parallel with their former direction, as shown at 20. To prevent the coin which is delivered by the chute into one of the slots or openings 12 of the wheel from passing entirely through said opening, we provide the plate 21, which is supported horizontally adjacent to the under side of said wheel, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and forms preferably the termination of a standard or other suitable support 22, which is screwed or otherwise secured to the bottom of the casing.

23 designates a push-bar, which at its inner end projects through the opening formed between the upper side of the wheel and the lower end and flanges of the chute 16, as illustrated most clearly in the detail figures of Sheet 2 of the drawings. Said push-bar is provided with an opening or socket 24, which registers with the lower end of the chute and Y with the slot or opening 12 of the wheel, so

that when the push-bar is in its normal position a coin of the proper size inserted in the slot 19 at the top of the box will slide down said chute and will slip from the same into the registering openings 2-1 of the push-bar and 12 of the wheel, and will rest upon the supporting-plate 21. The thickness of said wheel and of said push-bar together is less than the diameter of the coin, so that the latter, when in such position, projects slightly above said push-bar, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, for

an object which will be hereinafter explained. u

The push-bar, inward or rearward of said slot, is provided with an upwardly-projecting guard-ange, which will positively and reliably check the forward movement of each coin as it reaches the lower end of the chute and will cause it to enter the registering openings of said bar and said'wheel. The push-bar is arranged horizontally and extends forwardly through the front wall of the machine. It is mounted in any suitable bearings or supports, such as shown at 26 and 27, and is provided at its front end with a head or handle 28. Within the box it is provided with an enlargement or collar 29, and a coil-spring 30 bears at its opposite ends against the bearing 26 and its collar, so as to hold the push-bar normally forward or with its slot in communication with the opening 12 of the wheel immediately below.

31 designates a sliding drawer, which is mounted within the box and is guided, preferably, between one side of the box and the cleat 32, and is limited as to inward movement by a stop-cleat 33, or in any other suitable manner. It is provided with a head or handle 34, by which it may be manipulated, and in practice will also be provided with locking devices (not shown) to prevent access to the interior of the machine by unauthorized persons. The top of the box is also provided with an opening, which is closed by a hinge-door 35, and which also will be provided with suitable locking devices. This door, which need not necessarily be a hinged door, is provided in order that the person in control of the machine may recharge it at any time by simply turning the wheel slowly and dropping the articles successively into the compartments formed by the inner and outer walls 13 and 14 and the partitions 15. In order to prevent accidental rotation of the wheel, and to check the same after it moves the predetermined distance each time, we provide the spring-metal catch 36, which is secured to the cross-bar 6b, preferably, and bears at its free end with a yielding pressure upon the wheel, being arranged so that it will engage the successivelypresented slots or openings 12 of the same. p This machine as constructed is designed particularly to contain in each compartment a box of cigarettes or package of chewinggum, the said compartments being large enough only to receive the article snugly.

In practice the machine is designed to be secured upon a counter or other suitable stand or upon a table, and after being charged is ready for operation.

If the machine contains cigarettes or chewing-gum packages, the chute will be of size to receive snugly a nickel, which, when inserted into the slot 19, will assume the position shown in Fig. 2. It is only necessary now for the purchaser to apply pressure upon the IIO nickel in the slot or opening of the wheel by f pressing inward upon the head or button of the push-bar, the front wall of the slot of said push-bar bearing against the face of said nickel. This pressure need only be sufcient to overcome the slight resistance of the springcatch 36 and to rotate the wheel until said nickel slides clear off the supporting-plate 2l. Immediately the nickel clears said plate the inward movement of the push-bar is completed, and the pressure being removed from the nickel it drops down into the drawer 3l and the spring 30 returns the push-bar to its original position, where it again aords communication between the lower end of the chute and the next succeeding slot` or opening 12 of the wheel, as will bc readily understood. At the same time the operation described takes place the wheel-compartment next in rear of the opening 9 of the plate 7 (with respect to the rotatable movement of the wheel) registers with said opening 9, and the article or package contained in such compartment drops down through said opening into the open chamber 3, whence it may be conveniently extracted by the purchaser.

The slight momentum acquired by the wheel each time it is operated, as described, is not sufficient to cause the wheel to swing beyond a predetermined distance; but in order to make the machine absolutely positive and reliable in its operation we have employed the spring-catch 36, hereinbefore referred to, which will yield slightly to the movement of the wheel in the proper direction under the positive application of power, and will engage successively each opening as the wheel is rotated, and thus prevent the momentum acquired by the wheel carrying it too far forward. It will also absolutely prevent back movement, as it inclines downwardly and forwardly from the cross-bar 16.

Should a person try to cheat the machine by introducing a penny or other coin smaller than a nickel into the chute, it will fail of its object, owing to the fact that it will fall through the opening 18 and drop into the drawer without entering one of the openings or slots 12 of the wheel at all. In order to make'it practically impossible for such coins to slide to the lower end of the chute, the latter is inclined slightly to one side, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, so that the tendency of the coin will be to slide against one of the flanges 17, so as to leave its opposite edge un supported, as its diam eter will not be equal to the distance from said flange to the opposite side of the slot or opening 18. Therefore, its center of gravity being far beyond the lowest side of the slot, it will invariably fall through said opening. In the case of a nickel this slight inclination of the chute will make no difference, owing to the fact that it is large enough to bridge said opening. It has been found in practice that a penny, if the chute is perfectly horizontal, will sometimes fail to fall through the opening. Therefore, to make the machine thoroughly reliable, we find it necessary to incline it slightly, as described.

Referring now to the modifications shown in Fig. 7, it will be noticed that the wheel 10a 7o vin such figure is vertically arranged, or, in

other words, rotates around a horizontal instead of a vertical axis, as before. It will be noticed, also, that the ring 11, instead of being provided with slots or openin gs in its face, 7 5

is provided with slots or notches 12a in its periphery, and that because of this such ring must project to one side of the face of the spokes and the rim of the wheel, in order that the chute and the push-bar, which may be of precisely the same construction as before, however, may communicate therewith. ln this case also, instead of the horizontal circular plate 7, with the opening 9, we provide the cylindrical plate 7, which vertically be- 85 low its axis will be provided with a corresponding opening, (not shown,) as will be readily understood, through which the packages or articles may drop. Secured to the rim of the wheel, and projecting laterally 9o which form the compartments to contain the 9 5 articles or packages. This wheel, of course, will be incased in a box of different form, and will be operated by the push-bar in the direction indicated by the arrow. It will be apparent, also, that the coin used in connection Ioo with this wheel will remain in the slot or notch 12a, as the latter rotates, until a predetermined point in its rotation is reached, when it will fall naturally into a suitable receptacle placed to receive it, such as the 10S drawer 31, and that the supporting-plate 21 will be dispensed with.- -This construction, while necessitating these various changes, in principle and mode of operation is precisely the same as the preferred form of construc- 11o tion first described.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that we have produced a vending-machine which possesses the desirable features of simplicity,

cheapness, and reliability enumerated in the I r 5 statement of invention, and it is to be understood that slight changes in construction and arrangement of parts, other than those already indicated in the modified' form, maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit 12o and scope of our invention. For instance, instead of the radial partitions 15 we may employ only one partition, which in the operation of the machine will force the boxes or packages around, 'and the latter will, as be- 12 5 fore described, drop successively through the opening 9 of the plate 7, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Let- 13o ters Patent, is-

1. In a vending-machine, the combination of a suitable casing, an apertured plate there.- in and suitably supported, a compartmentwheel superposed relative to said plate and provided with radial slots arranged 'concentrically with, surrounded by and equal in number to the compartments of said wheel, an inclined guide-chute communicating with an inclined opening in the top of the casing and having its lower end adjacent to one of the radial slots of said wheel, and provided with marginal flanges at its opposite sides which project beyond the lower end of the chute and are coincidently with such end bent outwardly so as to provide a space between them wider than the coin passageway; and a push-bar arranged horizontally and interposed between the bottom of the chute and the slotted portion of the wheel, and also interposed between the extensions of said marginal flanges of the chute, and provided with an opening in length equal to the width of the coin passage-way and arranged normally coincidently with the lower end thereof, sub-V stantially as described.

2. In a vending-machine, the combination of a suitable casing, an apertured plate therein and suitably supported, a compartmentwheel superposed relative to said plate and provided with radial slots arranged concert trically with, surrounded by and equal in number to the compartments of said wheel,

an inclined guide-chute communicating with an inclined opening in the top of thecasing and having itslower end adjacent to one of the radial slots of said wheel,v and provided with marginal flanges at its opposite sides v which project beyond the lower end of the chute and are coincidently with such end bent outwardly so as to provide a space between them wider than the coin passage-way, a push-bar arranged horizontally and interposed between the bottom of the chute and the slotted portion of the wheel, and also inf terposed between the extensions of said marginal flanges of the chute, andprovided with an opening in length equal to the width of the coin passage-way and arranged normally coinoidently with the lower end thereof, and provided at its inner end with an upwardlyprojecting iiange or shoulder to provide an abutment for the coin and a guide which will insure its passage into the opening of the 

